Milwaukee man charged after leading police on a high-speed chase before exchanging in gunfire with officer

A criminal complaint charging a Milwaukee man Jan. 13 with attempted homicide laid out the scenario of a frightening exchange of gun fire on the residential streets of Milwaukee before a Wauwatosa police officer subdued the man with a bullet from his own sidearm, ultimately sending the man to the hospital Jan. 9.

Shavell A. Ball, 23, was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with two crimes: attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and fleeing or eluding an officer in a vehicle causing damage to property. If convicted, Ball faces up to 65 years in prison.

Ball's cash bond has been set at $100,000.

According to the complaint, the car led police on a high-speed chase going up to 70 mph on city streets until a police officer successfully punctured the tires of a stolen car using “stop sticks.” Although that slowed him down, the driver continued to drive while being pursued by several marked squad cars, before the shots rang out.

The incident began at 12:24 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, when Wauwatosa police officer Evan Olson was in a marked squad and noticed a stolen white 2015 Subaru Outback. He attempted to pull over the driver, Ball, in the 4500 block (north of Congress Street) of North 92nd Street. Ball accelerated and drove off, according to the complaint.

Ball went through at least one red light and at least eight stop signs before turning onto North 85th Street, the complaint said.

The officer drove his squad vehicle around the left side of the Subaru and pulled in front of the Subaru in an attempt to box it in. The Subaru veered left and then struck the rear of the squad before stopping at 3323 N. 85th St. (south of Lisbon Avenue), the complaint said.

The dash-cam video on the squad car shows Ball emerging from the driver’s seat holding a handgun in his right hand, the complaint said.

Ball then ran out of his vehicle while the officer was parking his squad car, the complaint said. The officer saw a dark semi-automatic handgun in Ball’s left hand.

Ball raised the gun and pointed it at the officer while looking at him, the complaint said. The officer was out of his squad and drawing his own gun when he saw a flash from the gun, which was now pointed directly at him, the complaint said.

The officer continued to draw his handgun and then, using both hands, raised his gun and began to fire at Ball while trying to move to the back of his squad for cover. Ball was still running and continued to fire his handgun at the officer as the officer fired at him, the complaint said.

During the exchange of gunfire, the officer saw two more shots fired directly at him. The officer recalled Ball going to the ground (face down) after firing his handgun at him, at which point the officer stopped firing, the complaint said.

The officer saw Ball's gun leave his hand and land on the ground. Once additional officers arrived on the scene, Ball was taken into custody.

After the gunfight, the officer walked back to his squad and saw three bullet holes in his squad car. The bullet holes were in the driver's door frame, driver's side rear quarter panel and the third bullet hole broke out the driver's side tail light.

Although not in the complaint, the original police statement said the suspect was struck by at least two rounds fired by officers and he was treated at the hospital and released.

The complaint also did not mention a 19-year-old female passenger, who was also struck by one round, and that police were still uncertain, according to Wauwatosa Police Captain Brian E. Zalewski whether she was struck by a bullet from the suspect or an officer.